Unlike when you apply for your passport for the first time,
getting a passport renewal is actually quite painless and fairly simple
compared to how it used to be. It takes far less time, and in some
cases, you might not even have to leave your home. You may be eligible
to renew your passport either online or by mail. There are some
requirements that must be met before deciding if this is an option for
you.
Mail Renewal
Usually, getting a
passport renewed through the mail takes about six weeks, sometimes more.
If you need to travel before that and need a it renewed more quickly
you can find a passport expedition company online. They will be able to
get you your passport much quicker. However, this may be more expensive
than the normal renewal procedure. If you are in this situation, they
are your only hope for getting a United States passport in time for your
overseas vacation. Otherwise, you might be out of luck due to your
procrastination.
Requirements
There are
strict requirements you must meet if you are applying for a passport
renewal. You have to have a passport that hasn't been damaged. You must
have gotten your first passport when you were 16 or older. Also, your
original passport cannot be more than 15 years old. If you fail to meet
any of these requirements you will have to get a passport renewed
through the mail.
Steps For Mail Renewal
There
are a few steps you need to take if you are going to apply for passport
renewal through the mail. You have to put together a package that
includes all the proper forms (which are found online), a recent color
photo, your expired passport, and, of course, your passport renewal fee.
Once you have all these things together you mail it to the Department
of State and then wait for your renewed passport to come in the mail.
Getting Expedition
If
you want to get your renewal expedited there are a few different ways
you can go about doing it. The State Department offers expedition that
takes about 2-3 weeks to process. If you are in a position where you
need your passport renewed even faster than that you can hire an
expedition service form the internet. It is a lot more expensive, but
you can get your necessary passport from these sites in as little as 24
hours.
Today, American citizens have a large variety of ways they can get their passport renewal. It is far easier to get a United States passport
renewed than ever before. If you need to take a vacation overseas, it
is a good idea to get all your passport needs taken care of as soon as
possible so you're not scrambling to get it done at the last minute. You
will also save much more money that way because you will not be paying
for expedition services.
